The best of Irish Suffolk Sheep showcased at Ratheniska
Members of the Suffolk Sheep Society welcome Barrie Turner, incoming CEO of Suffolk Sheep Society UK to the stand
The National Ploughing Championships returned after an absence of three years due to the pandemic and Suffolk Sheep Society – South of Ireland were delighted to once again be a part of such a great event.
Situated just inside the door of the NSBA Pavillion, the stand drew a huge amount of attention from attendees. Live Sheep are always popular and the stand showcased the best of Irish Suffolk Sheep breeding with both Pedigree and cross bred sheep on display. The Shearling Pedigree Ram, Muff Paddy, bred by his namesake, Paddy Carolan of Muff Suffolks was hugely popular with visitors to the stand – young and old alike. He was greatly admired and made impressive viewing on the stand.
The Society would like to express our gratitude to the Borris Ewe Breeders Association for loaning the Suffolk/Cheviot Cross ewes for the display. They were a great example of the superb breeding ewes which result from crossing the Irish Suffolk with a Cheviot Ewe. They make superb replacement ewes, who are easily lambed, milky and great mothers, who in turn produce fast finishing lambs ready to hit the premium Spring market at twelve weeks.
Maura Ryan From Borris Ewe Breeders who kindly supplied the Cross-bred Sheep for the standMuff Paddy – Shearling Ram
The hugely popular ‘Guess the Weight of the Lambs’ competition was back and saw an entry of well over 1000 over the three days. These were put in the draw for a €250 Society Voucher towards the price of a Suffolk Ram at any Society sale as well as second and third prizes kindly sponsored by Mayo Healthcare. We would like to thank Cormac Sheep Equipment for providing the scales on which the lambs were weighed on the final day.
Guess the Weight of the Lamb CompetitionStaff from Cormac Tagging who supplied the scales to weigh the lambs and Mayo Healthcare who provided some of the prizes
Overall the Ploughing Championships proved to be a very successful three days for the Suffolk Sheep Society – South of Ireland, allowing us to reacquaint with old friends and meet many new ones. We were delighted to see such a large interest in the breeding of Irish Suffolk Sheep among so many farmers and we look forward to welcoming many of them into the Society in due course. With confidence in the Society at an all time high, the future is looking very bright for Irish Suffolk Sheep.
On Sunday 26th June, Suffolk Sheep Society South of Ireland breeders from all over the country turned up to Charleville Agricultural Show to compete in the Irish Suffolk Sheep National Championships from which there had been an absence of 3 years as a result of the pandemic. It was great to see such a high level of interest at the Suffolk ring and we were especially delighted to see some of our Suffolk Colleagues from the Netherlands attending the Show while on a visit to Ireland.
The Society were delighted to receive a new cup for the Supreme Champion of the Show. The Tom Quirke Memorial Cup was presented to the Society by Ann Quirke-O’Mahony on behalf of the entire Quirke Family in memory of her late Father who was an enthusiastic and forward thinking Suffolk Breeder, from his Flock’s establishment in 1967 up until his death in August 2017.
Despite inclement weather conditions, enthusiasm was high as Judge William Fleming of the Hallhill Flock in Scotland prepared to take to the ring. The standard of sheep presented on the day was a credit to all the breeders participating and showcased the Suffolk Breed to its full potential to all those watching the show.
The show kicked off with the Junior Handler class which saw 7 enthusiastic young stock persons demonstrate their knowledge and ability to handle sheep. It was 15 year old Harry Graham of the Westside flock, which he established in 2020, who received the red rosette from the Judge.
In the Shearling Ram class, it was Arthur O’Keeffe who dominated with a Birness Freedom son with Coote Geelan’s Cairness Diamond Geezer son taking second and Harry Graham’s Errigal Jack the Lad’s son taking the third spot.
The sun shone as the Aged Ewes took to the ring with Susan O’Keeffe’s home bred ewe, sired by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince taking the top honours in the Class. In the Shearling Ewe Class, Susan O’Keefe dominated the field once again catching the judge’s eye with her Annakisha Ewe, again sired by Castleisle Kilteskin Prince. Her second entry also sired by Prince took second and Kenneth Bailey’s Cairness Cobra sired ewe took the third spot.
In the Novice Class it was Coote Geelan of the Loughrynn Flock who took top honours with his stylish ewe lamb, sired by Beechbrook Oscar. It was a tight call between Kenneth Bailey’s ewe lamb sired by Cairness Our Bucks and Ann & Dan O’Mahony’s Errigal the Emperor sired Ewe lamb for second and third but the judge settled on Lismurtagh second and Ballygarvanstud third in the class.
The Ram Lamb class was next in the line up where Susan O’Keeffe’s Muirton One Direction son took top honours with Sean O’Connor of the Islandmore Flock claiming his first rosette of the day, taking second with a Beechcrest Bacardi son. Third in the class was Ann & Dan O’Mahony’s Blackbrae Diamond son.
Next it was the turn of the ewe lambs and the first class in was the Untrimmed Ewe Lamb where Philip Byrne of the Limepark Flock showed a lamb by Errigal Simply the Best. She was a stylish ewe lamb who emerged from the class victorious, claiming the red rosette, much to the delight of Philip’s son Padraig who had shown her earlier in the Young Handler Class.
The final class of the day was the Trimmed Ewe Lamb which resulted in a hat trick for the O’Keeffe family with Patrick and his Blackwater Flock taking first with his Ballinatone BT Buddy son, Susan taking second with her ewe lamb also sired by BT Buddy and Arthur taking third spot with his lamb sired by Castlewellan Sportsman.
In the Female Championship it was Susan O’Keeffe’s Shearling Ewe who claimed the top honours and Philip Byrne’s Untrimmed Ewe Lamb took the Reserve spot.
The Male Championship was awarded to Arthur O’Keeffe’s Shearling ram with Susan O’Keeffe’s Ram Lamb taking the Reserve Spot.
In the Final Showdown the judge tapped out Susan O’Keefe’s Shearling Ewe as his favourite of the day to claim the Supreme Champion title and the newly presented Tom Quirke Memorial Cup, with Philip Byrne’s Untrimmed Ewe lamb emerging as Reserve Champion.
The Society would like to thank our sponsors for the day – Connolly’s Redmills and Animax-Vet for their generous support. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Sheep Section Show Committee for setting up the penning and showing area and for running such a well organised event.
Ann Quirke O’Mahony presents Supreme Champion Winner, Susan O’Keeffe (Clyda Flock) with the Tom Quirke Memorial CupReserve Show Champion – Philip Byrne (Limepark Flock)Young Handler Winner – Harry Graham (Westside Flock)Novice Winner – Coote & Trevor Geelan (Loughrynn Flock)Aged Ewe WinnerShearling Ram Winner
The West of Ireland Registered Pedigree Suffolk Sheep Breeders Club publish a 50th Anniversary Magazine to mark tremendous milestone in their history.
Click on the cover page below to read articles from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., ‘The Origins of the Suffolk’, a trip down memory lane and much much more.
If you would like a copy, please get in touch with any of the committee or at woisuffolk@hotmail.com and it can be arranged. You can also visit their website here or click the links below.
The West of Ireland Registered Pedigree Suffolk Sheep Breeder’s Club continued to grow from strength to strength in 2019, with an increased membership and some great successes throughout the season.
NSBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Club was well represented at the NSBA National Championships in Kilkenny where Gerry Killilea, Carragh Flock built on his success from 2018 achieving 3rd place in the Trimmed ewe Lamb class.
FLOCK COMPETITIONS
The Club enjoyed great success in the National Flock Competition with Garth Graham, Kirriemuir Flock receiving Certificates of Merit in The W E Lloyd Cup for his flock of 31 – 60 Ewes. He also received Certificates of Merit in Ewe Lamb Class, Flock of over 30 Ewes, and Stock Ram with Errigal Jack the Lad, in the South of Ireland Flock Competition. Congratulations also to Gerry Killilea, Carragh Flock who took Reserve in the Ewe Lamb Class and who also received a Certificate of Merit in the Flock of over 30 Ewes.
SHOWS & SALES
The Sales season kicked off for the club in Blessington at the SOI Premier Show & Sale where the Club was well represented by many of its members .Congratulations to Kenneth Bailey, Lismurtagh Flock who won the Ewe Lamb Class and then went on to achieve Reserve Champion Female with his Ewe Lamb
The Big Boy Ram Sale in Carrick-on-Shannon was a great success, with a strong representation of the Suffolk Breed by Club members where the Suffolk breed achieved the second highest price on the night.
This was followed by the clubs own Premier Sale in Roscommon with a large entry of superbly turned out sheep, ably judged by Seamas Browne, Errigal Flock. He was very impressed with the standard of sheep produced by the Club with Supreme Champion going to Canon Joe Delaney, Roscree Flock and Reserve Champion going to Kevin and Mattie Kelly, Summerhill Flock. Female Champion went to Garth Graham, Kirriemuir Flock with his Ewe Lamb.
Our Second sale took place in Athenry with another large entry and very successful sale. The Supreme Champion went to Michael & Marie Jennings, Ballygarris Flock and Reserve to James Cuffe, Inbhear Flock.
At our 3rd Club Show & Sale in Roscommon, Supreme Champion went to Michael & Marie Jannings, Ballygarris Flock with their Open Ram Lamb Winner. Reserve went to James Cuffe, Inbhear with his winner in the Novice Class.
The Club ended its Year with Club Flocks DeBurca, Carragh and Kirriemuir presenting superbly well turned out females at the All Star Female Sale in Blessington in November .
PREMIER SHOW & SALE, ROSCOMMON MART – 31st August 2019
FULL RESULTS
CHAMPION : Canon Joe Delaney
RESERVE : Mattie & Kevin Kelly
EWE LAMB: 1. G. Graham, 2. G Killilea, 3. L. Higgins & D. Airlie
SHEARLING RAM: 1. P.Hillary
NOVICE RAM: 1. Canon J. Delaney, 2. G. Graham, 3. K. Bailey
RECORDED RAM: 1. G.Killilea, 2. T. Burke, 3. M&M Jennings
OPEN RAM: 1. Canon J. Delaney, 2. M&K Kelly, 3. M&M Jennings
ATHENRY SHOW & SALE (Evening) – 20th Sept 2019
CHAMPION : Michael & Marie Jennings
RESERVE: James Cuffe
EWE LAMB: 1. G. Killilea, 2. G. Graham, 3. L. Higgins & D. Airlie, 4. P. Colleran
SHEARLING RAM: 1. G. Graham, 2. G. Graham
NOVICE RAM: 1. J. Cuffe, 2. M. McDonagh, 3. C. Hughes, 4. G. Graham
OPEN RAM: 1. M&M Jennings, 2. J. Cuffe, 3. M. McDonagh, 4. C. Hughes
ROSCOMMON 2ND SHOW & SALE – 28TH SEPT 2019
CHAMPION: Michael & Marie Jennings
Reserve : James Cuffe
SHEARLING RAM : 1. E. Campbell, 2. G. Graham, 3. T. Burke
NOVICE RAM: 1. J. Cuffe, 2. G. Graham, 3. E&T McKeever
OPEN RAM: 1. M&M Jennings, 2. J. Cuffe, 3. G. Graham
As a Club, we are delighted with what has turned out to be one of our most successful years ever. We took part in the very successful Big Boys Ram sale for the first time ever. Clearance rates at our sales were some of the highest recorded within the club. Many of our members enjoyed successes at the many Agricultural Shows throughout the summer season, showcasing the Suffolk breed to an incredibly high standard. Many of our members were present on the Suffolk stand at the National Ploughing Championships, which played host to the largest ever recorded attendance.
The standard of breeding lines within the club continue to improve and the quality of stock being produced is a testament to the investment our breeders are putting into their bloodlines.
We would like to extend a huge Thankyou to anyone who supported the Club this year, including the Suffolk Sheep Society, Suffolk Council, all our buyers, sponsors and marts and last but not least, our Club members themselves whose hard work and dedication continues to improve the breed standard within the club and showcase the Suffolk Breed to its full potential.
